Before the Great Fire of 1666

The “Knollys Rose” ceremony

The annual “Knollys Rose” ceremony will take place at 10:45 today, during which a single red rose picked in the garden of the church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower will be processed through the streets on the altar cushion from the church, amid much pomp, and presented to the Lord Mayor in Mansion House (the rose is normally picked in Seething Lane Gardens, but that site is currently under development).

The ceremony dates back to 1381, when Lady Constance Knollys built a footbridge from her house to the opposite side of Seething Lane without first seeking the Medieval equivalent of planning permission, and was fined a single red rose by the then Lord Mayor, Sir William Walworth. Walworth just happened to be a friend of Lady Constance’s husband, Sir Robert Knollys (a soldier, who at the time of the incident was fighting alongside John of Gaunt in the Hundred Years War against the French).

The church of All Hallows is visited, although generally not entered, on our “London Wall” and “Tower to Temple” standard walks, and on our “Dark Age London”, “Medieval London”, “Medieval City Highlights”, “Lost City Highlights” and “Great Fire of London” themed specials.